Kiln and th



LL M, UNUERWOOD.

KILN AND THE METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME.

APPLICATION men [H.101 1921.

Reissued'Augflfl, 1921. 15,186.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

gmwntoa L. M. uunanwoou. I KILN AND THE METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME- APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, I921.

Reissued Aug. 30, 1921.

fitter-rung UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Lois fiti. un'nnew'oon, on AYT N, OHIO KI'LN AND THE METHOD or GPERAT'ING ma SAME.

Specification of Etei'ss'aed Letters Patent. Re i d Aug 3 1921 Original No. 1,337,298,:iisted April 2'0, 1920, Serial No. 281,613, filed Maren-1o, 1919. A'p' neatidn fur I reissue filed March'IC 192i. sen-a1 No. 451,237.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Lois M. UNnn'RwooD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented a neiv and use ful Improvement in Kilns and the Method of Operating the Same, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in kilns and'the method of operating the same and more especially to a kiln provided with an individual gas producer chamber or compartment which may be a unitary part of the kiln structure; and

-to a removable twyer which-may be placed in said compartment to producethe gas and may be thereafter removed from said compartment and placed 'in that of another kiln to perform the same function until all of the kilns are supplied with the necessary gas for the operation and to vthe method of operating kilns having these featuresx The invention is applicable :to a single kiln'or any number of kilns arranged'en bloc, Where each individual kiln is provided with this gas producerchamber or compart-I The object of the 'inveritioniis to provide a kiln or each individual. kiln, where there are a number arranged en'bloc, with its own individual gas producer chamb'er,= and twyer which is a dapt edto be used the gas producer compartment of each kiln and removed to another after each kilnis sup"- pli'ed with producer gas sufficient for burnin}; the were therein. A further object of the inventionds to provide mea'ns in each kiln for supplying the gas produced witli a suitable amount of additional "air'yas the said gas passes from the producerchamber or compartment into the combustion-chamber df-the'kilnfi T By" the employun'ent? of the means to": be described hereinafter, the'ga's produced in a .ln passesdirectly into the kiln behind the bag Wall, -where it may be further zmixed with'additionakair and-burned. Thegas passingout ofithe producer chamber is thus mixed with regulated supply of air under pressure, andthe products of combustion pass directly into the b'ody-ofthe kiln from which the exhaust gas passes'out through a stack in the usual manner," a fter' the, ware has been burned. 7

'fiodiicer" chamber or compartment of 'each The difficulty of burning producer gas in a cold furnace is well knbwn, but such'diiiiculty is removed by means of the'individutl gas unit producer, which at the"b'eg'i'n'nin oi the operation can be-ernp'loyed as a thi nace until the kiln is brought to a suiiic'ieii't temperature to burn the gas, and when this Is-done, the furnace is converted into a gas producer chamber or compartment, by clo's mg the front portion and using sufficient air through the t'wyers to cause s'11ffieient"'com bu'stlon to distil the gas out of the coal, and by employingthe secondary air passage to supply air to the' po'i'nt where the conibu's tion is desired in the kiln. I Thepreferredgform of embodirneiit of my intention is illustrated in the accompanyin dI'tiXhDgS of which; a gure 1' 15:12, side elevation in section, showing a-portion of a'kil'n, and furnace or ga's producer structure combined therewith. 2 1s a perspective View of the portable 'twyefr and supporting table. In this .qew ene of the twyer'supporting plates or bars is shown in dumping position. And,

311s an end view, partlv' in section of one'o'f the tilting twyer suppcirting plates or'bars. 1 j Throughout the specifieatien and drawings s1m1larreiferenv5e characters indicate oorrespondingparts. y r R "l e'i'll'n'g to the ac'cempanying drawings in more particular terms, the numeral Idesignatesthe incilos'ing wall oi: combined furnace and-gas producer chamber ill com partment whiel'i is combined withlilie front portion of the kiln stru'cturefQ. The said ehamberlis a" part of the kiln structure-by beingbuilt in the wall thereof and is prodvided with suitable Communication between the. @said chamber and'the interior of the kilhu, Formed-in the-ki'ln' by the bag wall. 3*:-is a'ic'oinbustidii or mixing chamber 4 'thaticonnects' with the furn'a'ce and prddiicer chamber-through an opening or conduit 5, providedin the upper portion of the-- wall 6 of the'kilnz 1 This conduit 5' fo'rms the -eonnectiiin between the furnace and the gaswbro'ducer chamber, and the combustion er mixing "chamber 4: of tli'e'liiln. When the furnace-oi" gas producer chamber is used as a 'rgas' producer; 4 the conduit- 5 directs the gas to'a point iri" the comb'ustion or mixing eh amber WherQ combustionis effected by a forced -draft of additional air,- that is conoperating ducted to the latter through a supplemental air supply tube 7.

Projecting into the outer openend of the tube 7, is a nozzle 8 connected to a vertical tube 9 that communicates with a main air line 10, from which air under pressure is received to effect combustion of the producer gas in the chamber 4.

By means of a valve 11 provided in the vertical tube 9, the supply of air under pressure for the combustion chamber 4 can be regulated. Accordingly, tojefi'ect a greater or a less combustion of the producer gas in the chamber 4, air can be admitted to the latter. under a greater or a less pressure by the control valve 11. (See Fi .1). i

oming now to a detailed description of the furnace and. gas producer chamber. 1, there is provided in the upper front portion thereof an opening 12 that is closed by-a hinged ,door 13 provided with a handle 14. In the lowerportion of the furnace and gas producer chamber 1 is an opening 15 that is closed by a residue door 16 provided with a handle 17 I Through-the opening 1-5 in the lower portion of the furnace, a twyer supportingtable is adapted to be inserted and removed. By providing this table with two hinged front legs 19 and two rear hinged legs 20 connected by hinged bracing members 21, it is collapsible for the purpose of being easily transported from the furnace and gas producer chamber of one kiln to that of another. (See Figs. 1 and 2). Accordingly, one of my twyer-supporting-tablcs by being portable, may be made to serve several kilns. The twyer-supporting table may be readily withdrawn through the opening 15, and easily inserted through said opening in another furnace or furnaces to serve them when" desired.

The table 18 preferably contains two twyer supporting-plates 22 disposed side by side in the direction of its length in the upper portion of said table. While I have shown two of these plates, any greater or less number may be provided without departing from-the spirit of my invention.

Each table plate 22,at its front and its rear end, and at one side of its longitudinal axis, has a trunnion 23 turning in a bearing 24 provided in the table frame. Each front trunnion 23 terminates in a nipple and has a squared portion 25 that terminates at its rear end in a ratchet disk 26. The latter has provided in its periphery a notch 27 in which the nose of a pawl 28 pivoted to the table 18, is adapted 'to fall by gravity to hold its respective plate 22 in a horizontal position. By means of a wrench applied to the squared portion 25 of the front trunnion 23, the latter may be turned a sufiicient distance to release its respective pawl 28, which will permit its respective plate 22 to tilt as shown in Fig. 2 to dump the ashes as will be hereinafter described.

Preferably mounted in two parallel rows upon each plate or tiltable member 22, are twyers 29 whose tops at each end project outwardly and downwardly a short distance to protect the air openings30 below, against being clogged by clinkers or other particles. These twyers 29 are in communication with their tiltable supporting members 22, which are hollow, aswell as the foot trunnions 23 which terminate in nozzles and with which they communicate. Projecting into. the nozzle of each front trunnion 23 in a manner to leave an air opening around it, is a steam injecting nozzle 31 provided with'a valve 32 to control the pressure of steam issuing through it. As steam passes into and through the trunnion 23, it creates. a sufiicient vacuum therein to cause air from the outside to rush into the hollow members 22 through the trunnion 23, and thence through the twyers 29 and the firebed which said members 22 support, to force combustion in the furnace when the device is being used as a furnace. It is apparent from the drawing that the twyer' openings. are much smaller than the air space in the trunnion, thus insuring a practically uniform pressure of air in all the twyers and since the air openings are protected from clogging by the projections on the twyers, a uniform supply of air throughout the fuel bed is maintained when air and steam. is forced into the trunnion. By turning the nozzle valve 32, the pressure of the air entering the furnace through the twyers can be increased or diminished. When increased a great blast is created, resulting in a more intense fire and re uiring a faster application of fuel.

By tilting the members 22 as hereinbefore described, the ashes may be readily dumped from them.

When the furnace is used as a gas-producer for a kiln of which it is a part, my method contemplates the operation of it as a furnace and. gas producer chamber for a short time as above described, to bring the kiln to a suflicient temperature to heat the gas. When this is done, the furnace is converted into a producer by closing its front. portion and turning the valve 32 to permit only enough air to issue through the twyers to cause sufiicient combustion to distil the gas out of the coal. The gas produced will then pass through the conduit 5 into the combustion chamber 4 of the kiln, where it is mixed with a regulated supply. of air under pressure that issues from the tube 7 By turning the valve 11, the pressure of this secondary air supply can be regulated to produce the character of combustion dc sired for the kiln. It is thus seen that this secondary air supply device carries air to the point where combustion is desired in the kiln, the gas being produced in the kilns own furnace, with all the advantages hereinbefore set forth. Among the advantages of my improved individual gas producer features in kilns, ma be mentioned the following:

1) After the twyer as a whole is removed from one furnace and gas producer chamber to another, the said chamber, after the ware has been burning in the kiln, supplies'sufiicient air to the kiln for cooling the burned ware.

. (2) Themeans are simple and kilns already in use may be provided therewith at comparatively small cost. (3) The loss or dissipation of ef'fectiveheat through radiation where the heat is controlled through tunnels which connect the kilns with large gas producer units is avoided. (4) Ascompared tofother gas burning systems with which lam familiaiy-a substantial portion ofthe cost of installation is eliminated. 1 (5) The danger due to gas explosions is very materially avoided, since there is no chance for the accumulation 'of gas in quantities, the gas being burned as soon as it enters the iln from the producer chamber; and other advantages might be enumerated.

Having described my invention, 1- claim:

1.- In a kiln provided with a stationary furnace and gas producer chamber, and a conduit forming a passageway from said chamber to the combustion chamber of the kiln, and an auxiliary air conduit through which additional air is supplied to the combustion chamber, a portable grate including a series of hollow tilting bars with nozzles through which steamand air are'injected intosaid'bars, a series of twyers mounted on each barand having air passages communicating with the interior of said bars, and an individual steam injecting nozzle ex= tended into the nozzle of each of said bars, substantially as described. V

2. A series of kilns provided each with a stationary furnace and gas'producer chamber, a conduit forming a communication between said chamber and the combustion chamber of the kiln, and a supplementary air conduit to supply air to said combustion chamber, a portable grate adapted to be removed from the furnace and gas producer chamber of one kiln to that of another in the successive generation of gas, said grate comprising a series of'hollowbars the front ends of which terminate in nozzles adapted to receive steam and air, and a series of twyers supported on each of said bars, substantially as specified.

3. A kiln having'a bag-walland a combustion chamber behind said bag wall, and a combined individual furnace and gas producer chamber forming a unitary part of '65 the kiln structure, the upper part of said furnace and 'gas producer chamber communic'ating with said combustion chamber, anda portable gas producer element comprising a series of twyers supportedon par allel hollow bars and adapted to be successively placed in the furnace and gas producer chambers of a series of kilns of like structure, substantially as described.

at.- The combination with a kiln for burning ware, of a combinedfurnace and gas producer built against the exteriorof a wall of the kiln and communicating directly with the. interior of the kiln through an opening in said wall said furnace and gas producer having a fuel bed comprising hollow bodies above the bottom of the ash pit having contracted openings therein leading to the fuel bed whereby air or steam or both may be uniformly supplied throughout the fuel bed and a second opening through said kiln wall above the furnace connecting the open air with the interior of the kiln for burning the-produced gas.

5. The combination'with a; kiln for burn ingware, of a combined furnace and gas 96 producer built against the exterior of a wall of the kiln and communicating directly with the interior "of the kiln through an opening in said wall said. furnace and gas producer havinga fuel bed comprising hollow bodies 96 above the bottom-of the ash pit having con tracted openings therein leadingto the fuel bed protected against obstructions whereby air or steam or both may be uniformly supplied throughout the fuel bed and a second 100 opening through said kiln wall above the furnace connecting the op'e'nair with the interior of the kiln for burning; the produced gas, and means for supplying-steam and air to the confined space and compressed air to the second opening.

6. The combination with a kiln for burning ware, of a combined furnace and gas producer 'b'uil't againstthe exterior of a wall of the kiln and communicating directly with the interior of the kiln through an opening insaid wall said furnace and gas producer having a fuel bed comprising hollow bodies above the bottom of the ash it having contracted openings therein leadmg to the fuel bed protected against obstructions whereby air o'rsteam or both may be uniformly supplied throughout the fuel bed and a second openinglthroug-h said kiln wall abovethe-furnac'e connecting the open air with the interior ofthe kiln for burning the produced gas,: means for supplying steam and air to the-f confined space and compressed air to the second opening, and a means for regulating the supply of'steam and air to produce the gas and complete its combustion.

7. The combination with a kiln for burning ware having a wall. with a combustion chamber on. the interiorand a stationary 13q furnace, a gas producer chamber onthe exterior with a connecting passage through the wall, the-combined furnace and gas producer chamber having a door and a removable grate comprising hollow bodies hav ing contracted openings through the coal bed, the door of the furnace being sufficiently large to. permit withdrawal. of the grate and thuspermitting a supply of air in suflicient volume through saidpassage when the grate is withdrawn and the door is open to quickly cool the furnace.

8. The combination-w'itha 'kiln for burning ware having awall with a combustion chamber on the interior and a stationary furnace, a gas producer chamber on the exterior with a connecting passage through the wall, the'combined furnace and gas pro-- ducer chamber having, a door and a removable grate comprising hollow bodies having contracted openings through r'the coal bed protected against obstruction, the door of the furnace being sufiiciently large to permit withdrawal of the grate'and" thus permitting a supply of air in suflicient vol ume through said passage when the grate is withdrawn and the door is open to quickly cool 'the furnace, and a control variable steam and air, supply through the grate whereby the furnacemay be converted-into a gas producer or vice versa. 1

9. The combination with a kiln forburning'ware having a wall with a combustion chamber on the 1nter1or and a stationary furnace, a gas producer chamber on the exterior with a connecting passage through the wall, the combined furnace and gas pro. ducer chamber having a door and a removable grate comprising hollow bodies hav-' ing contracted? openings through the 'coal bed protected against obstruction, the door of the furnace being sufliciently large to permit withdrawal oflthe grate and thus permitting a supply of air in s'ufiicient volume through sald passage when the grate is Withdrawn and the door is open to quickly cool the furnace, and a controlled variable steam and air supply through the grate whereby the furnace may be converted into a gas producer or vice versa, the kiln having a second opening into said combustion chamber, and a controlled variable air supply through the'second opening whereby the proper amount of air may be supplied di-' rectly to the combustion chamber to com plete the combustion.

'10. The combination with a kiln for burning ware of a combined furnace and gas producer built adjacent a wall of the kiln comprising a chamber having a door and a removable grate with hollow bodies having contracted openings therein protected against obstruction, said chamber being connected directly to the interior of the kiln through an opening in said wall, the wall having a second opening above said furnace for'supplying? freshair directly'to the in.- tcrior of the kiln, and a bag wallprojecting above the first mentioned opening to cause mixing of the "-producedgas and fresh-air whereby long passages from the. gas producer to the kiln requiring-cleaning are, obviated and the air is mixed: withthe gas} as soon as they enter the kil-nlinsuring complete combustionandfreedom from exploterior-of the kiln, a' bag wall projecting above the first mentioned opening; to cause mixing of the produced gas and fresh air whereby long passages'hfrom'the gas pro ducer to the kiln requiring cleaning are ob- \"lfl-t-Cl,' LI1d the air is mixed with the gas as soon as they enter "the; kiln insuring complete combustion and-freedom from explosions, and means for supplying steam to the gas producer and compressed air to the secondopening, '7 1 a '12. Thecom'bination with a kiln for burningrware of a combinedfurnace and gas producer-built adjacent a' wall of the. kiln and connected directly to the interior of-the'kiln through an'openingz in said'wall, the wall having a second opening above said furnace for supplying fresh air directly to the inte-' rior of the kiln, a bag wall projecting above the first mentioned opening to cause mixing of'the produeed gas and-fresh air whereby longpassages from the gas producer to the kiln requiring-cleaning are obviated and the air is mixed with the gas as soon as they enter the kiln insuring complete combustion and freedom-from explosions, means for supplying steamto the gas producer and compressed air tothe second opening, and means for regulating the supplies of steam and fresh air in proportions to complete the combustion of produced gas.

- 13. The combination with a kiln for burning ware of a combined furnace and gas pr0- ducer built adjacent an outer wall of the kiln and connected directly to the interior of the kiln through an opening in said wall, the wall having a second opening close to the first mentioned opening connecting .the interior of the kiln directly with the-outer air, means within the kiln andclose to said openings to cause mixing of the air and gas as aoonas they enter thekiln whereby long passages from the gas. producer-to the kiln and explosions are obviated and complete combustion of the gas and by-products effected, a door for the gas producer and furnace and a removable grate therein, said door being sufiiciently large to permit removal of the grate whereby when the grate is removed and the door opened the furnace may be quickl cooled.

14. he combination with a kiln for burning ware of a combined furnace and gas producer built adjacent an outer wall of the kiln and connected directly to the interior of the kiln through an opening in said wall, said wall having a second opening close to the first mentioned opening connecting the interior of the kiln directly with the outer air, means within the kiln and close to .said openings to cause mixing of the air and gas as soon as they enter the kiln whereby long passages from the gas producer to the kiln and explosions are obviated and complete combustion of the gas and by-products effected,

a door for the gas producer and furnace and a removable grate therein having trunnions accessible when the door is closed and through which air and steam may be supplied uniformly throughout the fuel bed, and means for supplying regulated amounts of steam and air to the fuel and compressed. air to the second opening.

15. The method of burning ware in a kiln v consisting in burning the fuel in a furnace in close proximity to the kiln until the furnace and kiln are hot then converting the furnace into a gas producer by blowing steam and air through the grate of the furnace and delivering the products directly from the producer through an opening in the Wall of the kiln and simultaneously forcing controlled supplies of air through a second opening in the Wall of the kiln in close proximity to the first opening in sufficient quantities to burn the products before they are cooled down sufliciently to form deposits.

16. The method of burning ware in a kiln consisting in burning the fuel in a furnace in close proximity to the kiln until the furnace and kiln are hot, then converting the furnace into a gas producer by blowing steam and air through the grate of the furnace and delivering the products directly from the producer through an opening in the wall of the kiln and simultaneously forcing controlled supplies of air through a second opening in the wall of the kiln in close proximity to the first opening in sufficient quantities to burn the hot products before they are cooled down sufficiently to form deposits then removing the furnace grate and thus allow the kiln to quickly cool.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of March, 1921.

LOIS M. UNDERWOOD. 

